The Wedding Edition: Please Respond

Author's note: I apologize for the long time it takes me to update my blog. Rest assured that I will try to post an entry as often as I can to give you, my dear readers, and outsider's insight to planning an event. I do hope you understand. Once I get my schedule up and running, there's going to be more posts.

Enjoy reading! XOXO, jet

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Please Respond

You're already months into your wedding plans, and of course you want to let your family and friends know that you're getting married! What's a wedding without guests, right? So another important task for you (as if you don't have enough!) is to ensure that your invitations get done right and on time.

The Save the Date Card

Many couples opt to have a save the date card to distribute to their guests prior to sending invitations. The Save the Date card usually just features the date of your wedding together with a picture of the couple. While I think that this is a wise move for couples to ensure their wedding guest list is complete, I am not a big fan of spending more money to just tell people to save my wedding date. For the more budget conscious, an email blast is more up your alley. I personally did an email blast to friends and family to let them know of the date of my wedding -- plainly, I might add (no pictures whatsoever). With my budget already bursting at the seams, spending a couple thousand pesos to just print a card with our picture and a date on it just didn't appeal to me. If you're very adept with Adobe PhotoShop, you might want to print your Save the Date cards yourself.

The Invitations

Ideally, sending out invitations should be done at least 3 weeks to a month before your wedding date. Sadly, I didn't know that printing invitations took so long, so I ended up sending them a week later. I initially thought that invitations would take about 2-3 weeks to process, so I was just dawdling about, putting it least of my priorities. I later found out that normally, the printing process takes about a month, give or take a few days more. You also need to provide all the details by then, so you should have completed your entourage by now.

The Details

What is, then, in an invitation? Well, it varies depending on the design of your invitation. But the basic details of course include YOUR names, the date, venue and time of your wedding and reception. Then the bridal and principal entourage is also included. Most of the time a map is included, as well as an RSVP number and seat number for the reception. Some invitations provide some basic information about the couple, like birthdates and birthplaces, especially when your design resembles a passport (like what mine was ^_^).

Répondez S'il Vous Plaît

The RSVP section is probably the next most important information in your invitation. Simply meaning "please reply", it is important to let your guests know that they need to confirm their "slot" at your wedding. Most people do not bother with courtesy of replying, so at this point, it is up to you to let them know that you NEED to know if they're coming or not.

There are a lot of invitation printers out in the market. I got mine done with Paper Flair / Adwors Graphix. I liked my final invitation, but I wasn't too pleased with the process. They were delayed in delivering my invitations by two days and we had a set schedule to begin with. They have their moments, but I suggest that if you're going with them too, give a little bit more allowance for delays. Better safe than sorry, I always say.

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Adworks Graphix / Paper Flair

GF Greenwich Condominium, Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center

Paper Flair Kiosk, SM Megamall Atrium Level 4